Seeing Tripp King flick a rubber ball toward the net with his stick is like spotting an unidentified flying object and wondering if you missed it because the shot happens faster than the blink of an eye.
His lacrosse coach at Loyola High, Jimmy Borell, brings out one of those baseball radar guns twice a year to clock how fast his players can send that ball through a net.
King’s right hand delivers the ball at 100 mph and his left hand at 90 mph.
“I pray he doesn’t cut the net,” Borell said.
In a sport that’s beloved on the East Coast, King is helping bring respect to lacrosse players learning the game on the West Coast.
He started lacrosse in kindergarten, showing up to participate in South Bay Lacrosse Club. By first grade, he was wearing lacrosse pads. He also played football and basketball. When he reached Loyola as a freshman, he was still a three-sport athlete, but he had become so talented in lacrosse that it became his focus.
“I always loved the speed of lacrosse,” said the junior. “I see that similarity in basketball. It’s always pulled me knowing you have to be good at everything instead of one particular skill.”
At 6 feet 1 and 200 pounds with the thick calves of a football player, he’s an attacker that every opponent must track. He’ll stand behind the net ready to receive the ball and make a pass to teammates who will quickly get the ball back to him for a goal with one flick of his wrist.
He had 102 points during the regular season (65 goals, 37 assists) for a Loyola team seeded No. 1 for the seven-team Southern Section Division 1 playoffs that begin this week. Loyola has a bye in the opening round and won’t play until May 9.
“He’s pretty special,” Borell said. “He’s got the tangibles, very skilled, can use both of his hands and has a very quick step.”
He’s committed to North Carolina, which is a dream come true since he was born to be a Tar Heel. Both of his parents went to North Carolina.
Tripp King, wearing No. 11, is an attacker for Loyola’s No. 1-ranked lacrosse team.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
“I’ve grown up a Tar Heel,” he said.
He’s also a kind, friendly future Tar Heel, something you can’t always say about lacrosse players who often feel they are either entitled or frustrated when people don’t pay enough attention to them.
Classmates swear by King.
“Nice,” is what several told me.
He returns to the South Bay Lacrosse Club to give back, working with young players just like when somebody helped him as a 5-year-old.
He’s someone ready to head to the East Coast determined to be proof of how determined West Coast players have become.
“A lot of the stereotypes of the West Coast are surfer boy or doesn’t take it seriously,” he said. “We’ve made it an atmosphere at Loyola where every day we’re waking up at 5 o’clock for 6 a.m. practices. We’re getting in extra work before and after practice. I think that lazier, not tough stereotype isn’t true. The West Coast is growing.”
King lives in Manhattan Beach, where celebrities and pro athletes can be seen walking or riding bikes on any given day.
King is only 17, but if he’s taking a walk or riding a bike, pay attention, because one day, he’s going to be recognized as lacrosse trendsetter from the West Coast.
The Colorado Avalanche rode swagger, poise and the league’s stingiest goaltender to the best record in the NHL this season. And nothing about that formula has changed in the postseason, with goals from Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, Artturi Lehkonen and Brock Nelson giving Colorado a 4-2 win Thursday over the Kings and a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
The Kings, who have lost their last six first-round playoff series, need a victory at home Sunday to extend their season. Their goals in Game 3 came from Trevor Moore in the second period and Adrian Kempe on a third-period power play.
“They’re best team in the league for a reason. But we’re right there,” forward Quinton Byfield said. “We’re a confident group.”
“One game at home. Must-win game,” defenseman Drew Doughty added. “Everyone’s going to give everything they’ve got. We’ve got to win that one, and then hopefully get to go back to Denver.”
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews celebrates a goal by defenseman Cale Makar on Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg during the second period of Game 3 Thursday at Crypto.com Arena.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The difference in the series has been Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood, who was nearly perfect again, making 24 saves to place the Kings 60 minutes away from the offseason.
Anton Forsberg, playing in the postseason for the first time, has been almost as good in goal for the Kings, though he was victimized by two fluke goals and an empty-netter.
“Both goalies in the series have been unbelievable,” Kings coach D.J. Smith said. “Give Wedgewood credit. This guy looks like he’s putting his name on the circuit as a big-time goalie.”
The Avalanche, who certainly haven’t needed many lucky breaks in this series, got one early in the first period when Landeskog spun and launched a wild wrister from the blue line that went well wide of the net, only to have the puck carom off the end boards and into the net off Forsberg’s right skate blade.
The goal was the second in as many games for the Colorado captain.
The Kings then got their own break six minutes into the second period when Alex Laferriere jumped Brett Kulak’s clearing pass in the neutral jump and fed Byfield, whose pass into the crease struck Moore’s leg and ricocheted past Wedgewood to tie the score.
Colorado defenseman Devon Toews reaches for the puck against Kings right wing Quinton Byfield in the first period.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Colorado needed less than seven minutes to get the lead back, with Makar getting the puck along the boards on the left wing, skating into space at the point, then zipping a wrist shot through heavy traffic and just under the crossbar.
The Avalanche then increased the advantage 7:39 in the final period after Kempe fanned a shot from the point. Lehkonen collected the loose puck and took it the length of the ice before deflecting a centering pass off Kempe’s skate and by Forsberg for a short-handed goal, his second score of the series.
That appeared to put the game away, but after the Kings pulled Forsberg for an extra attacker, Kempe halved the deficit on a tip-in with 4:02 to play. But then Nelson forced a turnover and scored into the empty net with 2:18 left.
The six goals combined matched the total number from the first two games in Colorado.
“We’ve got to keep doing a lot of the things that we are doing,” Doughty said. “Obviously, we got to clean up giving up some of these chances that we’re giving up.”
Kings goalie Anton Forsberg covers the puck as Colorado left wing Gabriel Landeskog battles for it in the second period.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Kings’ penalty kill, which ranked 30th in the 32-team league during the regular season, has been brilliant against the Avalanche, turning back all nine Colorado power plays. That, plus stellar play for Forsberg in goal, has frustrated the NHL’s top-scoring team.
But against Wedgewood, the Kings have mustered little offense, scoring just four goals in the series — three times on the power play and once off Moore’s leg.
“We’d like to get more than two goals. Against this team, I don’t think it’s enough,” Doughty said. “I don’t think we’re creating enough grade-A chances on Wedgewood. He has played well, so for us to beat them, we’ve got to wear them down in the D-zone, make them tired and score goals that way. And we haven’t done that enough.”
They’re guaranteed just one more chance to turn that around.
“There’s no quit in there,” Smith said of the Kings’ locker room. “And I think you’ll see our best game. To a man, we want to give them a real good outing and push this series back to Colorado.”
DENVER — Different opponent. Same result.
In each of the last four seasons, the Kings have opened the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers. They lost each time.
So on Sunday the Kings tried a different route, opening against the Colorado Avalanche.
They lost, 2-1.
The goals came from Artturi Lehkonen late in the second period and Logan O’Connor early in the third. The Kings made a game of it late, pulling goaltender Anton Fosberg with 2:57 to play and getting a power-play goal from Artemi Panarin 35 seconds later. But that was as close as they would get.
Maybe the Kings should have been careful what they wished for. Because while the Avalanche aren’t the Oilers, they’re better — much better — than any of the recent Edmonton teams.
This season they won the Presidents’ Trophy, the prize that goes to the team with the best regular-season record in the league, and they earned it by scoring the most goals and giving up the fewest in the NHL. They also had the best home record in the Western Conference and the best road record in the league.
And they started quickly Sunday, putting four shots on goal in the first four minutes. But Forsberg was spectacular, making 28 saves to keep the Kings in the game.
Colorado thought it had beaten him less than seven minutes into the second period when O’Connor found the back of the net from the right circle but the goal was waved off by a goalie interference call on Jack Drury, who tumbled into the crease as O’Connor was releasing his shot. The Avalanche questioned the call, claiming Kings defender Drew Doughty had pushed Drury from behind, but they lost the challenge.
There was no doubt about Colorado’s next goal, which came 4:31 before the second intermission when Lehkonen, defended tightly by Doughty, was able to reach out his stick and sweep in the rebound of Nathan MacKinnon‘s shot from the right boards.
The Avalanche doubled their advantage 5:50 into the third period when Joel Edmundson lost the puck in the Kings’ zone, allowing O’Connor to collect it and race defenseman Cody Ceci to the front of the net before beating Forsberg cleanly. Drury got an assist on the play.
The game, which had been physical all afternoon, turned chippy after that, giving the Kings a power play they took advantage to halve Colorado’s lead. But the Avalanche then closed out the game to a 1-0 lead in the series.
The best-of-seven playoff resumes Tuesday night in Denver before moving to the Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.
Earnings Call Insights: Regions Financial Corporation (RF) Q1 2026
“This morning, we reported strong first quarter earnings of $539 million or $0.62 per share,” said (President, CEO & Chairman John Turner), adding, “We grew loans and deposits on both an average and ending basis, and our credit metrics continue
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KeyCorp plans to repurchase at least $1.3 billion in shares in 2026, raised from prior guidance of $1.2 billion, and indicated that Basel III revisions could add over 100 basis points to CET1, potentially enabling even more buybacks if market conditions allow.
RAMI Hawash proposed to Towie star Gemma Collins for the third time in 2024, over a decade after he originally popped the question.
Gemma lasted just three days during her first stint on I’m a Celeb, but more than a decade later she’s giving jungle life another crack as an All Star.
Gemma Collins was one of the late arrivals on I’m A Celeb All Stars 2026.
Ant and dec said the TOWIE legend is on an I’m a Celeb “redemption arc”.
Ant said on The One Show: “With this version, we’re looking for a legend, we want to put them through it.”
Host Angelica Bell if Gemma Collins is returning to “redeem herself”.
Dec said: “She lasted 72 hours in Australia. She got in the helicopter and then refused to let it take off.
“So she’s come back for a redemption arc. She’s come back to right some wrongs.
“She says she can’t walk down the street without cabbies stopping her and saying she couldn’t hack it so she wants to change everyone’s minds. This is the comeback!”
Rami Hawash, 49, is of Israeli descent and is a British national who was born in Romford, Havering, Greater London.
He owns a mechanical repairs company in the town, which is often mistakenly thought to be in Essex because of the postal addresses.
Rami has been reality TV star Gemma Collins‘ on-and-off boyfriend since 2011 and has made several appearances on The Only Way Is Essex — the show Gemma found fame on.
[article-rail-curated title=”READ MORE ON GEMMA COLLINS” selected_posts=”25775350,25720817″ /]
Rami and Gemma met at the famous King William pub in Chigwell, Essex, and started dating back in 2011.
He made his first brief appearance in series 9 when he jetted off to Marbella to see Gemma.
The pair announced their first engagement on December 27, 2013, although this was broken off several weeks later.
He proposed to the star by hiding a diamond ring in a Christmas pudding.
Rami was mentioned many times on the programme as the couple continued their on-off relationship.
He and Gemma grew close again during the Covid-19 lockdown after Gemma split with James ‘Arg’ Argent, and they have kept their rekindled romance.
In April 2021, they were spotted enjoying a romantic sushi dinner where they kissed and cuddled in public, taking cute selfies throughout the evening.
A source told the MailOnline: “Gemma has been seeing Rami again in secret for the last six months.
“The pair have enjoyed spending time together and getting reacquainted during date nights in London and Essex.
“Gemma suffered a lot of stress and trauma during her relationship with Arg, which has been on and off for years – but she’s finally putting herself first and moving forward with her life.”
In December 2021, Gemma confirmed she was once again engaged to Rami, saying the pair “can’t really come out and say anything yet because Ram was married before and his paperwork has not come through.”
She continued: “They’ve not been together for two years.
“I know her, she’s got a partner, she’s as good as gold.
“There’s a child involved, he’s only three, obviously I love him to death.
“But until that paperwork’s signed I can’t come out.”
Speaking about how he proposed for the third time, a source told The Sun: “Rami popped the question again in the Maldives, and Gemma had no idea it was coming, she was so shocked.
“She is absolutely thrilled and she can’t believe it is finally happening.
“Rami had flown out hundreds of roses and there were thousands of petals. She didn’t know what was happening until a huge platter of cakes came out and as Gemma started eating her mango dessert, Rami surprised her and said, ‘look at that’.
“He had lit up, ‘Will You Marry Me?’ on the sand.
“Gemma had no idea, she thought they were having a relaxing dinner on the beach, she had no makeup on, it was a beautiful natural moment and she couldn’t have wished for anything more.
“He got down on one knee, the ring was in a shell. It was such a beautiful moment and of course she cried.”
The source added: “Yes, the ring is absolutely amazing. It’s a huge big sparkler.”
Rami Hawash does not have children with Gemma Collins.
However, the reality star has previously revealed she is “desperate for a baby” and has even decided she wants to call her unborn child Blossom, after the Japanese blossom tree.
Talking on The Gemma Collins podcast, Gemma candidly said: “I found the love of my life, I’m definitely ready to have a baby now.”
Rami has a six-year-old son called Tristan, who is kept out of the public eye, with his ex-wife.
Gemma was praised by Rami for being “a fantastic step-mum” to Tristan, in a message for her birthday in January 2022.
“To the love of my life, Gemma,” Rami wrote.
“I am so happy to have you back in my life. I have always dreamed and felt this would happen.
“Me and Tristan are so lucky to have you in our lives. You are a wonderful partner and a fantastic step-mum to Tristan.
“We are so grateful to have you and you bring us so much joy. Happy birthday, we love you Gemma.”
According to Share-Ask.com, Rami’s net worth is between £400,000 and £1.35million.
Reports of his net worth are very limited, with most outlets saying it is unknown.
However his fiancee, Gemma is reportedly worth around £4million.
Their love story has been years in the making and was meant to be.
It all began back in 2011 when they met in a pub in Chigwell, Essex.
They started dating properly two years later and Rami made several appearances on The Only Way Is Essex before they announced their first engagement in the same year.
But their relationship hit a rough patch, leading to a break-up, with Gemma citing that she “wasn’t ready” for marriage at the time.
After navigating a tumultuous on/off relationship with her Towie co-star James Argent Gemma and Rami found their way back to each other in late 2020 after crossing paths at a Madonna concert in London.
In December 2021, Gemma first announced that they were re-engaged and embraced her role as stepmother to Rami’s six-year-old son, Tristan.
A year later she called off their wedding, insisting she didn’t want to spend frivolously on a huge wedding during a cost of living crisis.
The U-turn came a year before they sparked split rumours again.
Last year, they went months without being pictured together in public.
They also unfollowed each other on social media.
Gemma then confirmed in October that they were firmly back on and that she wanted to get married in a quiet ceremony.
We are deeply grateful for the outpouring from neighbors, friends, and the people of Tucson. We are all family now.
We continue to believe it is Tucsonans, and the greater Southern Arizona community, that hold the key to finding resolution in this case.
Someone knows something. It’s possible a member of this community has information that they do not even realize is significant.
We hope people search their memories, especially around the key timelines of January 31 and the early morning hours of February 1, as well as the late evening of January 11.
We desperately ask this community for renewed attention to our mom’s case— please consult camera footage, journal notes, text messages, observations, or conversations that in retrospect may hold significance.
No detail is too small. It may be the key.
We miss our mom with every breath, and we cannot be in peace until she is home.
We cannot grieve; we can only ache and wonder. Our focus is solely on finding her and bringing her home.
We want to celebrate her beautiful and courageous life, but we cannot do that until she is brought to a final place of rest.
Thank you for continuing to pray without ceasing.
The Guthrie Family: Camron and Kristine, Annie and Tommaso, Savannah and Michael”
SCREEN star Sydney Sweeney is rolling in dollar frills — after her new lingerie line helped to quadruple her fortune.
The American actress is now worth $40million, up from $10million just two years ago.
The news came as Sydney, 28, showed off a range of sexy pink and white underwear from her Syrn brand.
The Seductress line launches next week after her original designs sold out in the US.
Sydney launched the business on the back of becoming one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stars.
She was worth some $10million in 2024 thanks to roles in black comedy The White Lotus, teen drama Euphoria and the rom-com movie Anyone But You.
Lucrative deals with Armani Beauty, Ford and Samsung followed — while controversial adverts for clothing brand American Eagle saw sales shoot up, along with Sydney’s profile and potential earnings.
Last year she raked in $7.5millon for her role in hit psychological thriller The Housemaid.
Sydney launched Syrn in January in a bid to take on fellow celebs Rihanna and Kim Kardashian — who have become billionaires through their clothing brands Savage x Fenty and Skims.
The star’s racy photo shoots have seen her criticised for not being a “girl’s girl”. But hitting back, Sydney said: “People will say, ‘Oh, she’s doing this for guys’.
“I’m like, ‘What’s more ‘girl’s girl’ than owning your body and doing it for yourself?’.”
U.S. hockey star Jack Hughes might have lost more than a couple of teeth during the gold-medal-winning victory against Canada at the Milan-Cortina Olympics last month.
The puck that Hughes smacked into the net in overtime to give the United States its first men’s Olympic hockey gold since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” was seemingly forgotten amid the raucous celebration.
But this week, the Hockey Hall of Fame began displaying that puck along with the one Megan Keller knocked into the net in overtime to give the U.S. women’s team gold in Milan. The International Ice Hockey Federation apparently secured the frozen vulcanized rubber disks immediately after the games and handed them to the Hall of Fame located in Toronto.
Hughes is happy “his” puck surfaced but believes he is the rightful owner of a piece of memorabilia that David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions, estimated might be worth $1 million.
“I don’t see why Megan Keller or I shouldn’t have those pucks,” Hughes told ESPN. “I’m trying to get it. Like, that’s [B.S.] that the Hockey Hall of Fame has it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck?”
Hughes might not like the answer. The provenance of the puck is similar to that of a basketball or football used in a notable moment. It is dissimilar to a historic home run because a baseball leaves the field of play, and the owner becomes the fortunate fan.
“Because of the increasing value of memorabilia, ownership of items has become standardized over the last decade or so,” said an expert who agreed to speak anonymously because they work in the acquisition of such items. “Whoever purchased the puck owns it. Jerseys belong to the team, shoes and gloves to the player, the puck to whoever supplied it to the Olympics.”
That would be the International Ice Hockey Federation, the governing body of the Olympics hockey tournament. The IIHF employees who immediately secured those precious pucks amid gold-medal bedlam apparently did their job well.
“The puck was designated for archival preservation with the Hockey Hall of Fame to ensure its long-term safekeeping and historical recognition,” an IIHF spokesperson said.
The pucks are featured in an “Olympics ‘26” display that also contains a hockey stick used by Brady Tkachuk of the U.S. team and a U.S. jersey worn by four-time Olympian Hilary Knight.
It might strike some as odd that the display is in Canada, where fans are mourning the loss to the United States, but that’s been the location of the Hall of Fame since it was established in 1943. HOF president Jamie Dinsmore said in a statement that the display contains “donated items,” although it is unclear whether the IIHF has donated or merely loaned the pucks to the HOF.
“The Olympics ’26 display will help ensure that these unforgettable Olympic moments are preserved for our guests from around the world to experience,” Dinsmore said.
Meanwhile, Hughes told ESPN he wants the puck to become the property of one particular fan — his father, who collects memorabilia for him and his brothers Quinn and Luke. All three play in the NHL.
“I wouldn’t even want it for myself. I’d want it for my dad. I know he’d just love, love having it,” Hughes said. “When I look back in my career, I don’t collect too many things for myself, but my dad’s a monster collector for the three of us. I know he would have a special place for it.”
Or it could be sold at auction, where certainly it would pay for any dental work Hughes needs after getting teeth knocked out during the gold-medal game. Various auction houses have estimated the value of the puck to be from $40,000 to $1 million.
Should he acquire the puck, though, Hughes might not even consider selling it. The first pick of the 2019 NHL draft, he signed an eight-year, $64 million contract extension with the New Jersey Devils four years ago.
